Thursday, March 11, 2010

This and That

Darnell Jackson and Danny Green are looking forward to the expected return of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but one might not be here when he gets back.

If the Cavs bring back Ilgauskas on or shortly after March 22, the first date they can negotiate with him, they are going to have to make a roster move. Jackson, a 6-foot-9, 253-pound power forward from Kansas, or Green, a 6-6 210-pound rookie point guard from North Carolina, are the likely candidates to go, because neither has guaranteed money for next season.

They both insist they're not worrying about that right now and are continuing to do whatever it is the team needs.

I like both these guys, but I see Danny Green as having the better shot at long NBA career. I like Jackson well enough (I was gonna say 'a lot' but that isn't really true) but he's a low post player in a small forward's body (there's no possible way he is 6-9). D-Block isn't big enough to guard NBA power forwards and he's not quick enough to play on the wing (though he fouls hard. I like guys who foul hard). Danny Green seems to be able to play a little point and he can knock down the three. I'd rather them not cut either of these two, but bringing back Z takes precedent and Green seems to be the better long term prospect.

Meanwhile, there is news regarding players who actually see the court:

Antawn Jamison and LeBron James headlined a group of Cavs who did not practice on Wednesday. Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao and Anthony Parker also did not practice with a variety of injuries. Shaquille O'Neal continues to rehab his right thumb out of town.

While James is expected to play on Friday, Jamison is listed as day-to-day with stiffness in his left knee that forced him out of Monday's game against San Antonio. He said he has a cyst in the knee that fills with fluid periodically. While he's not sure about Friday's game at Philadelphia, he said he would play Sunday when Boston visits.

"It's something that occurred earlier in the season," Jamison said of the cyst. "With proper treatment, it went away. So I don't see this lingering any longer than it has the last couple of days."

He said surgery would not be necessary.

"I know my body," he said. "My mechanics, the way I run, contributed to this. We addressed that. There are certain things I have to do before and after to maintain. I'm not a young buck any more."

I'm not gonna lie, I'm quite wary of this Jamison situation. Neither he nor the Cavs sound too concerned about the knee but I can't help it. It's a knee injury! Basketball players (and humans in general) really need those things. I'm just not comfortable with the newly acquired power forward having knee issues, but maybe I'm weird. At this point, I wouldn't say I'm worried exactly (just wary), but if Jamison's return gets postponed, I'll be quite concerned.